Some Sump Basics
- Step Two: plan your layout Just a few rules of thumb that I have found to be helpful: ...
- Step Three: plan your flow rates This one likely one of the more debated aspects when it comes to setting up your sump. ...
- Step Four: Planning the compartments ...
- Step Five: Build the Sump and plumb it to the tank ...
- Step 6: test ...
How to set up a perfect freshwater aquarium?
- Too much sunlight will cause excessive algae growth and a maintenance nightmare. ...
- Try to stay away from putting the tank under a vent - dust will blow out and drop into the fish tank. ...
- It is also important to consider the ability of the floor to support the weight of the fully loaded aquarium. ...
How to set up sump refugium?
How to set up a Refugium
- The over flow empties into the sump which flows to the socks and then to the skimmer section.
- The skimmer section empties into the return section
- Next to the return section is the Refugium section. The Refugium section fills up from the external pump which empties into the return section.
How to set up an aquarium air pump?
How to install an aquarium air pump?
- Find a suitable location for the air pump. First, the air pump must be near the aquarium but not too close. ...
- Connect air tubing to the air pump. Not much to say about this step. It is quite simple. ...
- Connect the air tubing to an air stone. The air stone needs to be under the water inside the fish tank.
- For safety reason, we need to add a check valve.
How to set up sumps and overflow boxes?
To set up your sumps operating water level I suggest this:
- Fill your sump to 50% full with the return pump running.
- Disconnect the power to the pump and let the water back drain into the sump.
- Measure how much the water level in your sump rises. ...
- Set normal operating water level to 6-7″ below the top of your sump. ...
- Draw a line on the sump glass at the normal operating water level. ...
How do you set up a sump for a fish tank?
How to Correctly Set Up a SumpPlace your overflow skimmer that will supply your sump in an area that is away from decor, feeding zones, or any fish hiding places. ... Connect tubing between overflow skimmer to sump inflow. ... Set up your return hoses from the sump pump to return water from the sump to the tank.More items...•
How do I get water from my aquarium to sump?
Your tank will have either an internal or external overflow box that always allows for a leak-free connection to your sump via the bulkheads. Water drains out of your display tank, through the overflow box, into the drainpipe, and finally down into your sump via the drainpipe.
How much water should be in an aquarium sump?
Sump Water Level In most cases, the sump will be only three-quarters full, unlike the display aquarium, which will be full to within an inch or 2 of the top at all times.
Can I put fish in my sump?
Fish will not live long in the sump. The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. No one is born with intellect and age guarantees wisdom to no one. Fish will not live long in the sump.
What media should I put in my sump?
As far as media for the sump I would use 1-5" chunks of live rock or dry rock rubble. Looks like about 10-15 lbs will fill it or at least be a good start.
How do you set a sump water level?
Turn off all water pumps and skimmers in your tank. Watch the water level in your sump as it rises. If the water level starts to go above approximately 1 inch below your sump rim, start removing water into the bucket to keep it below that level. If the sump water level doesn't go above that point, you are fine.
What do you put in a sump?
What Do You Put In A Sump?Filter Socks and Filter Rollers. A filter sock is a basic form of mechanical filtration. ... Heater. There's really not too much to say about heaters. ... Protein Skimmer. ... Baffles and Bubble Traps. ... Return Pump. ... Check Valve. ... Gate Valves. ... Refugium Light.More items...
What stops a sump overflowing?
Drill a small hole on the return line just below the water in the DT. This help minimize the amount of water that can go into the sump.
How does a sump work aquarium?
Sumps work by having water drain down from the main aquarium via a weir and overflow section and into the sump. The water then passes through the filtration in the sump before being pumped back up to the main aquarium. The circulation of water never stops providing the 'Return Pump' is operating.
How does a freshwater aquarium sump work?
4:3127:09Make a Freshwater Aquarium Sump (150g Redo pt.1) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMuch like any other type of filter water comes into the sump passes through various types of mediaMoreMuch like any other type of filter water comes into the sump passes through various types of media and then is returned back to the aquarium. What makes this sump unique is that there are dividers.
Can you use a sump without drilling the tank?
No. You can get an overflow box that draws a siphon up and over the edge of your tank. You will need a pump to push the return back up to your display tank.
How do you make an overflow for an aquarium?
1:416:24HOW TO: $10 DIY aquarium overflow - UPGRADED and ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo you again you're not restricting flow the overflow uses 3 feet of pipe with section length beingMoreSo you again you're not restricting flow the overflow uses 3 feet of pipe with section length being 12 inches long and of course everything is cemented together with PVC cement.
What is sump in aquarium?
A sump is nothing less than an extra container designed to hold water and equipment of your tank. Here are our tips on how to make an aquarium sump.
How many gallons of water does a sump hold?
If you have a tank measuring 48 ″ x15 ″ x24 ″, the ideal sump would be 36 ″ x11 ″ x18 dimensions. It would hold somewhere around 29 gallons of water which is actually 35% of the volume of water in the main tank of the aquarium.
How many drain pipes does a diy sump have?
Diy sumps usually have two drain pipes. Respectively, that is primary and secondary drainage (from the main tank and from the sump). The difference between them is that the main drain takes most of the load as opposed to the secondary which takes only the excess.
How high should the water level be in a sump pump?
As for the water level, it’s usually about 1/2 inch above the primary drain. That would be an average. Then, as for the return pump, it should be submerged to half. If the pump is completely submerged, it’s difficult to drain the water from the pipe into the tank. As a result, water flows into the sump through the return sump.
What are the advantages of sump pumps?
There are many advantages to using a sump, and these are just some of them. It provides additional space to accommodate your return pump, skimmer, heater, and/or probes. In this way, it adds an extra volume of water to your system. Best of all, it doesn’t have to be made of any particular material at all. An aquarium tank can be as simple as a plastic tube or handmade acrylic. It all depends on your desires.
How many gallons of water in a 48 x 15 x 24 tank?
You can also calculate it this way. If the tank is 48 ″ x15 ″ x24 in size, it has about 75 gallons of water (280 liters). Thus, the flow rate should be about 450 gallons per hour (~ 1700 liters). That way the water will be able to pass through the sump around 6 times every hour.
How to set up a sump?
How to Correctly Set Up a Sump. Place your overflow skimmer that will supply your sump in an area that is away from décor, feeding zones or any fish hiding places. Ideally, you should set up your outflow and inflow in opposing spots so it creates a gyre in your tank. Connect tubing between overflow skimmer to sump inflow.
What Do You Need to Set Up a Sump?
Sumps are filled using gravity with a pump to return water to the tank. You will need appropriate hoses to move the water back and forth from your tank. It is recommended that you employ a skimmer box to cycle water in between your tank and sump. This will decrease the pull off the outflow to prevent animals from being sucked into the sump. It also acts as a fail-safe to protect your sump from accidentally draining your tank.
What happens if your sump pump is too close to the outflow?
If your outflow is too close to the return to your sump, you are not filtering the entire volume of your tank. Sumps usually pull water from your tank via gravity and return it by using a “sump” pump. This is not the same type of sump pump that keeps your basement dry!
How to gage outflow of skimmer?
To gage the outflow, start your skimmer basket by priming it with water from the main tank. Catch the outflowing water in a measured container. Time 10 seconds from once the flow has established and watch and see how much water flows out. The gallons per second will tell you exactly what type of pump to buy.
What is a sump in an aquarium?
In the aquarium world, a “sump” refers to an external reservoir that cycles in between the tank and usually holds additional filtration components. It is a staple of most marine and reef tanks, but can be used on freshwater tanks as well.
Why do you need sumps in a tank?
Sumps will increase the aesthetics of your tank and allow for maintenance to occur without disturbing the tank occupants. Most sumps will sit under your tank, so before you get started, make sure you have reasonable space and access.
How to move water back and forth from a tank?
You will need appropriate hoses to move the water back and forth from your tank. It is recommended that you employ a skimmer box to cycle water in between your tank and sump. This will decrease the pull off the outflow to prevent animals from being sucked into the sump.
How Do Aquarium Sumps Work?
Sumps work by having water drain down from the main aquarium via a weir and overflow section and into the sump. The water then passes through the filtration in the sump before being pumped back up to the main aquarium.
What Is An Aquarium Sump?
In its most basic form, a sump is an additional tank, vessel, or container that sits outside of the aquarium. The sump can be a simple single chamber container or a purpose-built tank with multiple chambers that each have a specific purpose.
What Is The Recommended Flow Rate Through An Aquarium Sump?
The main purpose of the sump as we described earlier is to house equipment and provide greater water volume. The two main pieces of equipment that are installed in most sumps are the Protein Skimmer and Heater/s. The idea is to find a return pump that matches the recommended flow rate of the protein skimmer.
How much flow rate should a protein skimmer have?
The protein skimmer will have an optimum flow rate that it was designed for and most aquarists recommend anywhere from 3x – 5x your tank capacity through your sump every hour.
Why do you need a compact sump?
For those owners that have a Cube-Shaped aquarium or are tight on space, having a compact sump allows for all the efficiency of the larger sumps but in a more compact space.
How does the return pump work in an aquarium?
As the water gets pumped back into the main aquarium, it passes through a weir and drops into the overflow section. This is what keeps the water level in the main aquarium constant.
What is sump in aquarium?
In its most basic form, a sump is an additional tank, vessel, or container that sits outside of the aquarium. The sump can be a simple single chamber container or a purpose-built tank with multiple chambers that each have a specific purpose. A Typical Sump Installation.
What is a sump in an aquarium?
A sump is a separate container of water that is connected to your display aquarium. It is used to house your filtration equipment out of plain sight and increase the total water volume of your aquarium system. The complexity of a sump seems to grow with tank size and experience. While sumps can be somewhat personal, with each one being unique to the tank it supports, there are basic components that all sumps share in common.
How much water does a sump run?
Our water volume calculator can be used to calculate sump water volume, just like a tank. Remember, most sumps only run about 50-60% full of water when in operation.
How often should sump pump flow through?
This means your pump will circulate the entire volume of water in your aquarium 3-5 times every hour.
What is a bubble trap in a sump pump?
A bubble trap is designed to stop bubbles from entering your return pump which will create micro-bubbles in your display.
What is intermediate sump?
In addition to all of the same components of a basic sump, intermediate sumps simply have more filtration equipment and automation devices, primarily helping to keep the environment more stable.
How to control DC water pump?
Modern-day DC water pumps give the user electronic control and classic AC water pumps can be throttled back with a ball or gate valve. It's a good idea to always plumb a control valve into your return water line for this very reason, it allows you to fine-tune the return flow rate. Not only for the sake of falling within the flow range that your particular tank requires but also to help equalize that return flow rate with the drain. Your particular overflow box and drain will operate best within a given range that is appropriate for your tank size, therefore, you want to be able to hit that given flow range with your return pump.
Can you make a sump from an old aquarium?
When it comes to choosing a sump, your going to be faced with a wide variety of options and brands. You can even make your own sump using an old aquarium! As long as you follow these guidelines, you should walk away with a perfectly usable sump that will provide a great platform for your tank's filtration.
How Much Does It Cost To Set Up A Saltwater Aquarium?
Before we dive into the specifics, you will want to know more about the financial investment you’re about to make.
What Type of Saltwater Aquarium Setup Do You Want?
That being said, there are a few types of saltwater aquarium setup you can try. It is important to decide which one you want at the beginning of the setup process as it can be difficult and expensive to change once the tank has been established.
All-in-One Aquarium Setup vs. Build-Your-Own
After deciding what kind of system you want to run, you will need to decide on the physical blueprint. If making the transition from freshwater to saltwater, this process can definitely be intimidating. At the end of the day, you want something that is guaranteed to hold water and comfortably house fish and corals.
Equipment and Test Kits
Saltwater fish tanks require much more equipment than freshwater aquariums.
Aquarium Sump Setup
Just like everything else in fishkeeping, saltwater aquarium filtration can be as simple or as complex as you make it. Members of the hobby have successfully run tanks with hang-on-the-back filters and canister filters, but most experienced hobbyists use sumps.
How to Pick the Perfect Location For Your Saltwater Aquarium Setup
Once all items have been picked up and delivered, it’s time to find the perfect spot for your tank. Though it is incredibly exciting to start filling up and cycling a new saltwater aquarium as soon as possible, patience and planning is the best way for success in the long run.
Salt Mix vs Saltwater
Lastly, you will need to think about how you’re going to fill your saltwater aquarium with saltwater. Most hobbyists that have a local fish store will purchase natural saltwater due to convenience. Other hobbyists that are not so lucky have to come up with other solutions.
